Song of the Raven
by Knight.of.Ink
Summary: A Bering & Wells AU based on the Song of the Lioness books by Tamora Pierce.
1. Chapter 1

Helena Wells has always known her place in the world, or at least the one ascribed to her by society. The fatherless daughter of a midwife and healer, raised in the lower levels of the capitol city. She was supposed to grow to be like her mother, a caretaker. But from her youth it was obvious that wasn't her, she craved excitement and adventure. She sought out secrets like a bloodhound and taught herself all manner of unsavory hobbies like lockpicking and thievery. And when she was old enough her mother told her the truth about her heritage. She was the bastard daughter of an irresponsible noble, her mother had once been his wife's maid and she'd been kept on until Helena was born. Her half brother, the noble's heir, was born a few days later, and then her mother was given a payment to keep quiet and a reccomendation to help her find a good job in the city.

With that news Helena knew she was meant for more than minor healing and delivering children. Not that she'd ever shown any interest in that path in the first place. To her mother's obvious disapproval she threw herself into the underbelly of the city, making a name for herself first as a successful pickpocket and then working her way up the ranks. By the time she was sixteen she was in command of a small group of thieves, including a bright young orphan that she'd taken under her wing upon discovering her in years past. The girl reminded Helena of herself, and they got along splendidly. And so the thief thought she knew her place in the world, and saw little reason for any changes except to continue moving up the ranks. She wasn't going to stop with one small group of orphans and thieves, she could command the whole of the undercity. She just had to work her plans right.

Helena had a small bit of magic at her command better known as the Sight, and it was part of what had allowed her to get so far so fast among the ranks of thieves and criminals. She could tell when people were plotting against her, could see poisons and lies. And she could identify those whom destiny was drawn to, the ones to whom it clung like a cloak. The orphan, Claudia, was one. But that destiny was hard to see, ever-changing as it was. The next person she saw of the like was entirely different, destiny and the hands of the gods sat over this boy who rode into the city like a mantle he didn't realize he was wearing. She knew then that this boy was going to change everything.

She didn't see the boy again for nearly a year, coming upon midsummer when he and the others who trained as pages up in the castle were released to expend some of the energy even their rigorous teachings couldn't quite get rid of. He'd grown quite a bit in the last year, limbs long and more than a little gangly. But his awkward form was tempered by the fire in his emerald green eyes and those his features still had a boyish softness to them they promised a strong jaw in future years. He was accompanied by two other, older boys. One was the prince, everyone knew him. Tall and blonde, with bright blue eyes, he was the spitting image of his father but with a sharper edge to him. Prince Samuel was no peacekeeper, as the King was known to be. The other was a larger boy with messy brown hair and an easy smile, the green-eyed boy called him Pete.

In moving closer she heard the boy referred to as Michael, but the name seemed ill-fitting to the thief. The boy always reacted a beat too slowly for that to have been his birth name, though Helena couldn't come up with a reason for that to be. Still, it intrigued her and she sauntered over to introduce herself as though she were simply friendly and looking for company closer to her age. Dressed as she was; it would be easy to believe her a boy as well, though a fine-featured one. She went along with it, introducing herself as HG and inviting them to join her for a cool drink. Michael seems reluctant, looking at Helena as though he knows she holds a secret even if he doesn't know what it is. But the other two are quite happy to take a drink with a new friend, especially one not intimidated by their noble status.

The boy orders lemonade, and after a beat his companions agree that it's probably a better choice than the ale they'd been about to request. Helena smirks behind her pint, seeing how they glanced at Michael before making that decision and how the boy had raised an eyebrow at them pointedly. It had almost been an entire conversation held in a scant number of glances. It was fascinating. They talk, of their training mostly, but Helena also shares stories they may find amusing from her own life. Edited to remove the revelation of her actual career of course, for now anyway.

They may prove to be good allies in the future, and she wanted to remain close enough to watch destiny unfold around this mysterious, sober boy. For Michael doesn't laugh with the others, he smiles and nods but he watches everything. Especially Helena. Still, at the end of the day when they bid her farewell she's sure it was a day well-spent. And over time Michael starts coming on his own, observing the pub and it's occupants without his companions. He and Helena hold conversations that cover topics the thief wouldn't have expected a pampered noble boy to know, and she finds herself growing close to him for his own sake as the weeks pass. Then everything starts to change.


	2. Chapter 2

Helena is asleep when the disturbance happens, and before she's even fully awake she's drawn the knife from under her pillow and launched herself at the intruder. There's a yelp, and the pair of them crash to the ground where they roll around in a messy grapple for a while before she regains the upper hand and pins them down. But then long-fingered, familiar hands are grasping her wrist as a similarly familiar voice hisses something into the darkness.

"Stop, it's me!" Michael whispers loudly, and Helena's eyes adjust to the darkness to see wide green eyes staring up at her from a pale face topped by wild chestnut curls. She sighs and climbs off the boy, holding out a hand to help him up.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that darling." She drawled, amused as she saw his cheeks flush slightly in the moonlight. Shaking her head the thief goes to light a lamp and then sits herself on her bed. She's not wearing much, but then Michael had made it clear he knew she was actually a woman not long after he began to frequent the pub on his own. Still, he flushes a bright red at the sight of her in only her underthings and she rolls her eyes at how he 'respectfully' turned around even as she grabbed a large shirt and pulled it on to save his sensibilities.

"Are you decent?" The boy squeaked out and Helena couldn't help but chuckle even as she slipped into a pair of breeches.

"As much as I ever am darling." She teased and was rewarded with an arched eyebrow and shake of the head in reply. Something was obviously bothering the boy, but since he wasn't talking at the moment Helena went to the door and found Claudia curled up on a pallet in the hall. It was ridiculous really, the girl had her own bed. But she preferred sleeping outside Helena's room. Still, it made things easier when she blinked up at Helena in drowsy confusion.

"Could you get me a picther of water and two cups please darling?" She asked, fondly pushing tousled red locks out of the girl's cat-like face. She nodded and scampered downstairs to the small kitchen they had as Helena turned back to the boy standing awkwardly in her room. He was young, but already nearly as tall as she and sure to surpass her soon.

"So Michael, what brings you out here in the middle of the night so urgently?" She asked, leaning back against the wall by the door and arching one dark eyebrow. He ducked his head and muttered an apology for disturbing her sleep before actually getting to the answer.

"I need you to teach me to fight, for real. Not the wrestling and stuff they teach at the palace. I need to know how to defend myself." He said, voice and jaw firming as he spoke. Needless to say Helena was intrigued, after all when does a page need to fight dirty or defend themselves in a way not taught in their training. Her thoughts must show more on her face than she thought, or Michael had picked up more of her body language than expected, because he shuffled his feet a little awkwardly.

"There's a boy in the palace, an older page. I can't have the others defending me all the time, they won't always be there." He explained softly and Helena made a soft sound of understanding, nodding, before they were interrupted by a knock on the door. She opened it to let Claudia in, carrying the pitcher and cups.

"Thank you dear, it may be a bit difficult for you to sleep out there right now though. I'm going to be showing Michael how we fight here in the city." Instead of going to her own room Claudia smiled and moved herself to Helena's bed, making herself a nest of sorts among the blankets and then settling in to watch. This only made Michael blush more but he didn't say anything, just nodded and started to pull off his boots.

And so a pattern was set. Twice a week Michael would sneak out of the palace for a late night lesson in what Helena called 'real fighting'. Claudia watched, and sometimes joined in on the lessons. Helena decided it would be good experience for the girl in defending herself, and also good experience for her student in not underestimating anyone. It was almost two months later that Helena deemed the boy ready, and he'd been growing like a weed the whole time. Helena had stopped growing at a modest height, but Michael had shot past her in just the time she'd known him and his body seemed to promise more growth in the future.


End file.
